by Science and technology has erupted in innovation over the last 20 years. The 21st Century has brought advancement in crucial areas of life such as agriculture, transportation, communication, healthcare, education, and so many more aspects of our daily lives. The future of technology is unknown, but there are some industries that will surely see increased investment and technological research in specific areas. In the coming years, automation and artificial intelligence will revolutionize many different parts of the world. More current innovations in science and technology will include advancements in space travel, self driving automobiles, person-less shopping stores, and even manless wars. However, an increase in scientific findings and breakthroughs in technology will cause a plethora of both national and international problems. Legislation regarding the regulation of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the exploration and colonization of other planets will create long legal battles. The safety of people is also called into question as self driving vehicles and the collection of data may cause harm to people both physically and in the ever increasing presence of the virtual world.
The future of science and technology will be the development of the current technologies that are in their early stages of the development. Artificial intelligence allows humans to implant strategies and mechanisms that allow machines to learn and adapt to their environment. This allows us to develop literally “smarter” machines that can handle completing more complex tasks without the time and resources to be created for that explicit task. Early artificial intelligence can already be found in smartphones, and home task and command systems such as Amazon’s Alexa or Echo. The most recent developments of A.I are also coming from the transportation market, as self driving cars are being heavily developed by firms across the globe. Creating intelligent cars that are able to drive themselves can decrease the amount of human error in driving, as well as become more efficient in driving and the required amount of energy required to complete travel. Artificial intelligence will certainly play a greater role in our lives as the machines and software become smarter.
One of the most current advancements in technology is in space travel. As our world’s population increases, alternate planets such as Mars seem more likely to become colonized and inhabited by humans in the near future. Companies such as SpaceX are pioneering new models of rockets with capabilities that could reliably transport humans to the red planet. Expansion in communications will also be a large part of the advancement in the near future. With the unrolling of 5G networks across the globe, there will be increases in the amount of area that will be covered by telecommunication, as well as an increase in the speed of wireless communication. Finally, unmanned stores and kiosks will begin to emerge. Amazon has already become a leader in online shopping, in which no communication or travel is required, but physical stores with completely automated systems will maximize optimization and flow of the shopping world. I believe that all of these innovations in consumership, space travel, and communication will be prevalent within the decade, and will be milestones in the advancement of science and technology.
Problems regarding the future of science and technology revolve around legal issues and the protection of personal data. The obtainment of data has already been a pressing issue in our world, but as businesses create smarter algorithms in order to trace our virtual footprints, there is the risk that this data is accessed by hackers and other criminals who can profit off of the sale of this information, or even use the identities of other for illicit gain. Problems stemming from space exploration can create a worldwide issue, as the claims of territories in space and on planets will require negotiations and legislation to be passed. However, if a peaceful resolution can not be achieved in disputes, this could lead to war and other conflicts between countries. Finally, it will take a long time before artificial intelligence is smart enough to replicate human decisions. In the case of driving, there are moral and ethical issues of driving that machines may not be able to comprehend as they are not equipped with a conscience and moral values. These problems will certainly arise over time as these technologies advance.
The future looks bright for science and technology. Many industries will benefit from the advancement of artificial intelligence, space exploration, self driving vehicles, expanded communication, and streamlined shopping experiences. However, problems such as international conflicts, the loss of jobs due to automation, the collecting of personal data, and the lack of human empathy in artificial intelligence will create barriers to success in implementing these technologies in our society. As new innovations develop, the world must tread cautiously in a way that ensures the safety of consumers and anybody else affected by new technologies. The future of science and technology will bring extremely helpful innovations and will benefit our society for decades to come.